The 2012 Dominus is a wild, exotic wine. Harvest began on October 9 and finished on the 21st, very late by present-day standards. Ripe red cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, rose petal, incense and rose petal soar out of the glass. Deep and vibrant, with terrific freshness, Dominus is very clearly one of the wines of the year. I loved the 2012 from barrel, but found it quite closed after bottling. Now, after all these years, I finally see the realization of the potential suggested in my barrel tastings. Magnificent. -- Antonio Galloni

(99+ points) Checking in as a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that hit 14.3% alcohol, the 2012 Dominus is a sensational wine that certainly ranks with the all-time greats of this cuvée and is reminiscent of the 1991. Ripe, flamboyant, and incredibly sexy, it nevertheless shows the classic style of this estate, has nothing out of place and just glides across the palate. Blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedar box, new leather, and an almost garrigue-like character all emerge from this full-bodied, silky, seamless effort that has fine tannin, perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, alcohol, and a great, great finish. Drink it any time over the coming 2-3 decades. It's a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the greats.

A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2012 Dominus has a deep garnet color. It soars with expressive notes of black cherry compote, black raspberries, and cassis, leading to gentle wafts of tree bark, graphite, violets, and anise, plus a touch of cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic black and red berry layers, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

It rained a lot in the spring of 2012, and as of early 2024, the wine is still very compact. There's a cheerful quality, with black fruit, dried violets, and lilacs. A deep sense of earthy richness is just beginning to show itself, but as much as the 2013 suggestion, there is real cellar potential. 2012 is an overlooked vintage, stuck between the cool and rainy 2011 and the highly-praised 2013 vintage, but if you have any 2012 in your cellar, try it today and try it again in 5, 10, and 15 years. It will still be going. It has the balanced acidity and integration of precise tannins to age, and it's delivering a host of upfront pleasure right now in a soft, velvety and refreshing form, with such scintillating acidity as to be one of the most food-friendly Dominus reds in the last couple of decades. Not to be overlooked.

Fabulous purity and clarity of fruit. Black currants, blackberries and violets. Full body, big soft tannins and a chocolate, hazelnut and dark fruit character. Some hot stones too. Ripe, velvety and fruity finish. Better in 2020 but delicious to drink now. Wonderful Dominus.

Showing even better than the last time this was tasted, the layers of sweet, perfectly ripe, lush opulent fruits, dark chocolate, spice and licorice coat your palate and linger, long after the wine has gone where it needed to be.

98+ The exuberance and drama in the stunning nose of the dense plum-colored 2012 Dominus offers up notes of Asian spice, ripe, black currants, kirsch, tobacco leaf and Christmas fruitcake. It is full-bodied and opulent, with no hard edges, a seamless integration of acidity, wood and tannin and a density and richness that are built to go on for 25-30 years. - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

A magical blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, this estate-crafted blend exudes elegance, etching out silos of herb, lavender, cedar and earth around savory-laced texture. A powerful concentration of dark chocolate appears on the lengthy finish, the wine sourced from dry-farmed, impeccably tended vines. Cellar through 2027. — Virginie Boone

If you’re used to riper styles of Napa Valley cabernet, give yourself time to adjust to the savory profile of one of the region’s oldest vineyard sites. Dominus sits on a rocky alluvial fan, a gentle benchland slope nestled into the western hills of Yountville. If, like some of their neighbors, Christian Moueix and Tod Mostero pushed the vines to extreme ripeness, you would find a sweeter wine in the glass. But they prefer to farm the vineyard so they can capture it at the moment when the grapes will sustain their distinctive flavors, yielding precision and detail in their tannins rather than the creamy smoothness that has come to define Napa Valley luxury wine. In fact, the 2012 vintage does provide a hint of sweetness in the end, red-fruited, bright and filled with youthful energy. That energy circulates through the wine in the fresh scent of bay and madrone, while the tannins gird the fruit for a long life ahead.

Deftly balanced, with an enticing mix of gravelly, loamy earth, dried berry, cedar and cigar box, all rich and extracted. Ends with raw, assertive tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2030. — J.L.